INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — A 6,000 square-foot glass barn will be constructed on the Indiana State Fairgrounds in time for the 2013 Indiana State Fair.

Funded primarily through the soybean checkoff, the $2.9 million project will use interactive videos and live feed from farms to teach fairgoers about the daily workings on modern farms.

“It’s a top priority for grain farmers to reconnect with consumers,” said Kevin Wilson, president of the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) and a farmer from Walton. “Since most folks don’t have family members still living on a farm, people don’t realize how farms have changed while the generations of family farmers who run the farms are the same.”

ISA is taking bids now, with construction slated to start this fall – following the 2012 Indiana State Fair – to be completed the following spring.

“The building’s name, The Glass Barn, is a reflection not only of the many windows throughout the structure but also symbolizes the exhibit’s purpose, which is a real look inside Indiana farms through video and real-time interactions with farmers out in the field and in their barns, through technology during the fair,” said Megan Kuhn, ISA communications director.

The barn will also highlight how farmers use technology, such as GPS, on the farm. In addition to pre-recorded videos of farms across the state, a moderator will conduct live hook-ups with farmers, who will show their farms and answer questions.

The Glass Barn was originally scheduled to be built in time for this year’s fair, but the original bids were over budget, Kuhn said.

The building will be climate-controlled with air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter. When not in use at the fair, The Glass Barn will serve as the welcome center for the World’s Largest Classroom, extending the life of the program designed for school field trips.

It also will be the site of distance learning on farming for those classrooms that cannot make the trip.

“Our farmer-directors (of ISA) are truly committed to talking to consumers about how they farm today and why the practices they use in the their fields and in their barns are the right choice not only for their operations, but also for the environment and the food system they are supplying,” Kuhn said.

The recently formed Indiana State Fair Foundation submitted the concept to ISA for funding, and the foundation will support future programming at The Glass Barn, said Andy Klotz, media relations director for the Indiana State Fair Commission. The Indiana Corn Marketing Council also is a financial contributor.

“This type of partnership is unprecedented for any fairgrounds in the country,” said Cindy Hoye, executive director of the Indiana State Fair. “More importantly, it will help us reconnect consumers with today’s family farms and highlight Indiana’s pivotal role in bringing high-quality and affordable food to all of us.”

Klotz said the barn will quickly double year-round educational visitation, and distance learning will expand its reach to the entire state. The barn is designed by Jonathan Hess, architect for Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects.

Those interested in the Indiana State Fair Foundation may contact Justin Armstrong by email at jarmstrong@indianastatefair.com or call 317-927-7559.